There’s a lot of excitement in the New Jersey casino industry about the possibility that sports betting may soon be allowed in the Garden State. It all depends on how the U.S. Supreme Court rules this spring on the state’s challenge to a federal sports betting ban. 

And it’s not just in New Jersey, as states around the country anxiously await the decision.

In the meantime, however, there already is a type of online sports betting in the state, and we have a feeling it’s going to stick around long after whatever the Supreme Court decides.

It’s called virtual sports betting and it has already debuted at several New Jersey online sites such as PlaySugarHouse.com, Caesars.com, Betfair.com and GoldenNugget.com.  The games have also just debuted at ResortsCasino.com and MoheganSun.com.

With six online casino sites and counting, virtual sports doesn’t look to be a passing fad.

OK, so what exactly is a virtual sports game? Basically, virtual sports betting lets you bet on simulated races including horseracing, auto and motorcycle racing and even greyhound racing (the dogs, not the buses). Other sports such as virtual soccer and even boxing have also been coming online.

The virtual races show you a pretty cool video representation of a race or contest. New Jersey online casinos are using games form Inspired Entertainment, which has been developing the games for more than a decade.

As the company explains, virtual sports are computer generated and allow you to wager on the outcome of the digitally created race and sporting events. The winners are chosen with random number generating software, like most other online games.

Each event offers numerous fixed-odds betting opportunities; meaning the payout odds do not change as betting occurs. Each competitor in the virtual events is weighted according to the odds displayed. The competitors with lower payout odds stand a greater chance of winning, but can generate lower returns.

Of course, the really fun thing is watching the simulations. With high-end video game technology, the races look very real and give you a chance to root for your pick. Sports games like soccer play like a highlight reel of scoring chances. Most games even give you audio commentary to keep track of the action.

The games and races come quickly, most lasting about 30 seconds to a minute. Minimum bets start at about $2.

Whether you’re rooting for your horse or cheering for your soccer team to make a penalty kick, virtual sports betting is a very different experience than a simple slot machine. And, it’s a lot of fun.

So really, there’s no reason to wait for the Supreme Court. It’s virtual, but sports betting is already here.

Keep up with all the virtual sports betting promotions, bonuses and more at our Promotions page.